Albanians in Russia

The Albanians in Russia represent a small ethnic community within the country. The population is tiny in number, recorded at 298 in the 1989 census. They are scattered across major cities and include both Orthodox and Muslim traditions.

History

Early Migration (Late 19th – Early 20th Century)

Albanians first arrived in Russia as part of broader Balkan migration during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Many sought work, trade opportunities, or refuge from political instability under Ottoman rule and regional conflicts

Catherine II issued an order connected with a settlement & military unit called the Albanian Host; the land assigned to them was near Kerch and Yenikale in the newly acquired Black Sea region. What made this unit important is that it grew out of the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774). During the Archipelago Expedition, Greeks and Albanians who had fought alongside Russian forces remained tied to Russia after the war, and their leaders petitioned Catherine II for permission to settle in the empire. Russian and later scholarly summaries describe the host as being formed from Greeks and Albanians, though in practice it was often a mixed or Greek-majority formation. Later on the reached 1,077 serving members by July 1776, plus additional non-serving dependents.

Soviet Era (1917 – 1991)

During the Soviet period, the Albanian population in Russia remained very small. They were primarily concentrated in urban centers, where employment and community networks were available. The 1989 Soviet census recorded only 298 ethnic Albanians in the Russian SFSR.

Notable people

• Jani Kiço Lufi (1931–2023), military commander
• Pano Bixhili, general consul